Weight-operated air pump



May S, i949, Q COT 2,471,673

WEIGHT-OPERATED AIR PUMP Filed Deo. 3, 1945 tions.

Patente-cl May 31, 1949 1U NITED STATES 'WEIGHT-OPERATED AIR PUMP Charles Cot,'iWindsor, Ontario, Canada Application December 3, 1945, Serial No. 632,527

ll'Claiims. 1

`The present invention pertains to va novel pump designed to com-press air for use at gasoline stations, and other automobile service installa- The principal object of the invention is to dispense with the motor-driven compressor .usually'required fo1n such purposes and to replace it by an air pump or compressor actuated by the' weight of the vehicles entering the station` "This object is accomplished, generally, by a vpumping unit or a plurality of'them, embedded inthe pavement and having an exposed, slightly elevated dome connected to a piston in a cylinder. A vehicle riding over the dome depresses it and performs the compression stroke of thepump. At the same time, a number of springs are compressed, and when the weight of the vehicleis removed from the dome, the springs elevate the dome and piston and perform the intake stroke.

More specifically, the device is reinforced by vbraces extending across the interior of the outer frame, and the dome carries depending vguide sleeves slidable through the braces. The lower ends of the sleeves receive the upper ends of guiderods mounted in the base of the frame, and 'coil springs surround the respective rods'beneath "the guide sleeves. This is the spring construction that elevates the dome to performthe in- 'tak'e strokefof thepiston. The invention further includes rollersor lthurst bearings mounted externally in the frame and extending into the sidewalls thereof sufliciently to be engaged by A.the dome for guiding the latter in its vertical movement. These bearings are housed beneath outwardly extending flanges at the top of the frame. These flanges, when inserted ush in the pavement, determine the proper position of the unit with respect to the pavement.

The invention is fully disclosed by way of example in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, party in section;

Figure 2 is a plan section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1, and

Figure 3 is an end view, one of the end walls being partly broken away.

Reference to these views will now be made by use of like characters which are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout.

In Figure 1 is shown a frame or housing I adapted to be laid in a pavement and having at its upper edge a pair of outwardly extending anges 2 that are set in the pavement at the surface or ground level thereof. In the angles formed by the flanges are provided webs 3 which support horizontally journalled rollers' or j thurst bearings ai extending into appropriate recesses in the adjacent sides of the member I, 'as maybe seen in Figure 1.

On the bottom of the member yI iis ,securedG a vertical cylinder 6 fitted with a'suitabl'ecap "I. A piston vil is slidably'mounted inlthe cylinder and fitted Iwith a piston'rod 9 extending through the cap 'l where it is enclosed in alsealed bushing lil. In the upper open end of Atheffrarrie Ifis Sildably mounted a dome II having end lugs I2 which engagethe'rollers 3 and are 'guidedv'vertically thereby. The lower surface ofthe dome I l is attached to the upper end 'of the piston'rod 9 by a suitable ball and socket designated by the numeral I3. A

At the bottom ofthe cylinder1 6 is formed an air intake port I4 connected by a nipple I5to`a check valve I5 which opens towards the intakeport. An air line Il leading from asuitable air cleaner-extends tothe intake side of the 'check valve I6.

Opposite the port It and also at'the bottom 'of thecylinder 5 is formed a similar outletpot 'I8 connected by a nipple 'i9 toa check valve 20 which opens vaway from the nipple. From the outlet side of the check valve 2U, an'arlin'e 2| extends to a suitable storage tank. It -will be understood that the check valves I6 and `2l! maybe of thefspring-pressed ball type or other 'suitable design.

A pair of channel braces'22 are'securedlengthwise Ibet'weenthe sides of the Yframe 'I and'directly beneath the thrust bearings 3. Four guide sleeves 23 are fixed to and suspended from the dome II and received slidably in the ends of the respective braces 22. Vertical guide rods 24 are fixed on the bottom of the frame I and received respectively in the sleeves 23. Each rod 24 is surrounded by a compressed coil spring 25 having its lower end engaging a seat 26 at the bottom of the rod and its upper end bearing against a iiange 21 at the lower end of the corresponding sleeve 23.

As previously indicated, the device is installed so that the anges 2 are at the surface level of the pavement and the dome II consequently extends somewhat above the surface. The device is positioned to lie in the path of the wheels of a motor vehicle approaching a gasoline pump or other essential piece of service equipment, The weight of the vehicle depresses the dome II and with it the piston 8, compressing air in the cylinder below the piston and forcing it through the outlet port I8 and check valve 20 to the line 2| leading to the storage tank.

When the weight of the vehicle has been removed from the dome I I, the latter is lifted by the expansion of the springs 25 which were compressed on the downstroke. The resultant upward movement of the piston 8 draws air through the intake line I7 and check valve i6 to the lower portion of the cylinder 6 below the piston 8, in readiness for the next compression stroke as previously described.

Several such devices may be distributed over the pavement of the service station, if desired, at least in suiilcient number to maintain the necessary quantity of compressed air for inflating tires and other purposes. Thus, the cost of installing and maintaining a motor driven compressor is materially reduced by provision of one or more of the relatively inexpensive pumps herein described.

Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various alterations in the details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as indicated by the appended claims:

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A weight-operated pump comprising a frame adapted to be embedded in a pavement, a dome slidably mounted in said frame and normally extending beyond the top of said frame, braces `mounted in said frame, guide sleeves carried by said dome and passing slidably through said braces, guide rods fixed to the bottom of said frame and having their free ends slidably received in said sleeves, whereby to provide bearing surfaces for said rods rigid with an in close proximity to said dome, a cyiinder mounted in said frame beneath said dome, a piston in said cylinder, a-piston rod extending from said piston and connected tosaid dome, and valve-controlled inlet andoutlet means associated with said cylinder.

2. A Weight-operated pump comprising a frame adapted to beernbedded in a pavement, a dome slidably mounted in said frame and normally extending beyond the top of said frame, braces mounted in said frame, guide sleeves carried by said dome and passing slidably through said braces, guide rods xed to the bottom of said frame and having their free ends slidably received in said sleeves, whereby to provide bearing surfaces for said rods rigid with and in close proximity to said dome, a cylinder mounted in said frame beneath said dome, a piston in said 4 cylinder, a, piston rod extending from said piston and connected to said dome, spring means compressible on depression of said dome, and valvecontrolled inlet and outlet means associated with said cylinder.

3. A Weight-operated pump comprising a frame adapted to be embedded in a pavement, a dome slidably mounted in said frame and normally extending beyond the top of said frame, braces mounted in said frame, guide sleeves carried by said dome and passing slidably through said braces, guide rods mounted on the bottom of said frame and slidably received in said sleeves, whereby to provide bearing surfaces for said rods rigid with and in close proximity to said dome, coil springs surrounding said rods and bearing against said sleeves, a cylinder mounted in said frame beneath said dome, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston and connected to said dome, and valve-controlled inlet and outlet means associated with said cylinder.

4. A weight-operated pump comprising a frame adapted to be embedded in a pavement, a dome slidably mounted in said frame and normally extending beyond the top of said frame, flanges extending outwardly from the top of said frame and adapted to lie YFlush with the surface of the pavement, rotary guide members carried outwardly of said frame beneath said flanges and engageable by said dome, a cylinder mounted in said frame beneath said dome, a piston in said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said. piston and connected to said dome, and valve-controlled inlet and outlet means associated with said cylinder.

CHARLES COTE'.

REFERENCES CITED he following references are of record in the 9,664 Great Britain 1914 

